1. Field
The present application relates to generators, and more particularly to an arrangement and method to remotely adjust fluid flow within an enclosed generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ventilation testing is routinely done on a generator during major service and performed while the generator is in an outage condition. These ventilation tests are done by monitoring specific points near orifices in interior walls where fluid flows. The fluid flow is tested to determine whether aspects of the fluid flow meet certain requirements. For example, the blower orifice within the generator is routinely tested to determine if the pressure of the fluid flow lies within a certain required pressure range.
Currently, ventilation testing is performed by swapping out a set of standard orifice plates until a correctly sized orifice is determined. An example of a standard orifice plate is shown in FIG. 1. In the currently used testing procedure, the generator is shut down and opened up in order for testing personnel to enter inside the unit to install a standard orifice plate and then exit to perform the test. This may be a very time consuming trial and error process as multiple orifice plates with different orifice sizes may need to be installed inside the generator by testing personnel with the testing personnel going inside the generator to install the orifice plates and then going out of the generator to perform the testing. Testing is then done offline, with the generator rotating, in order to determine the correctly sized orifice needed to satisfy the required criteria. Consequently, the testing procedure may take up to 10 to 12 hours with the generator being offline and unable to supply electric power while the orifice testing and adjustments are completed and finalized.